I think the rings are just stuck in burned oil goop. Having owned my H2 since 1978 I've seen a few stuck rings like this.
work them out, preferably with the use of a ring expander that supports the ring properly. Soaking in Varsol (mineral spirits) can help. Acetone can too. Scraping with whatever tool works for you is fine. To clean the ring grooves some guys use a piece of a broken ring. There's nothing wrong with wire brushing the crowns. Just don't gouge or remove material from the sides.
This is the type of ring expander I mean. It is less likely to break an expensive ring then the type that looks like a pair of pliers.
https://www.amazon.com/Piston-Expand.../dp/B01MFGTX8V